MURALS IN PAWTUCKET
The City of Pawtucket's commitment to the arts can be visually documented by the number of murals that exist in the city. Some of these projects have involved the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative while others have had the support of the Pawtucket Arts Festival, the City of Pawtucket, the Pawtucket Foundation, and the Pawtucket business community.
The History of Pawtucket
The wall of the Lynch Ice Arena at 25 Andrew Ferland Way depicts the history of Pawtucket beginning with the Revolution and ending with the 21st century. Along the top of the mural is a time-line depicting all of the American presidents and technological inventions. While the beginning of the mural on the left illustrates Samuel Slater and the birth of the Industrial Revolution in Pawtucket, the end includes the PawSox, the Pawtucket Arts Festival, and fireworks.
The mural was created in 2004 as a joint project between the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, the City of Pawtucket, and Club Neopolsi Design Studio. The artist was Brent Alan Bachelder. To see photos of the wall before, during, and after the project, click here.
We Are the Future
Located on the side of a building located on North Union and visible from the parking lot of the China Inn is a mural created in 2009 by the Teens of My Turn, Inc. The mural depicts a globe flanked by a pink bird and butterfly with a number of symbols referencing the arts and sports. The lead artist was Dauna Jean Noble.
Berger Recycling Commerative Mural
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Berger Recycling, the company commissioned Fisiha Likke to paint a 50 foot long mural on the side of one of their buildings located on Front Street. The mural documents the history of the family owned business with scenes from its history along with images of Pawtucket landmarks. For more information about the mural and Berger Recycling, click here.
Pawtucket Parking Garage
In 2005, a group of artists created a decorative mural on the first level of the parking garage at the corner of Park Place North and Main Street. The project was supported by the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative and the Pawtucket Foundation. Bold decorative motifs in black, white and red adorn three walls of the garage while existing, skillfully rendered graffiti was preserved on one of the walls. Artists included Mimo Gordan Riley, Morris Nathanson, Regina Partridge, Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, Liz Pannell and Kenn Speiser.
Gold Machinery Mural
The Gold Machinery building is located at the corner of Newell Avenue and Thurston Street. On the side of the building is a mural depicting machine equipment.
The World
Among the murals created by children at the Curvin McCabe Elementary School on Cottage Street is a mural created by Gretchen Dow Simpson, Mimo Riley Gordon, Marianne Purviance, and Don Chabot. The mural depicts a flattened globe showing the northern hemisphere in bright yellows, golds and blues.
Pleasant View: A Neighborhood that Cares
In a park/playground at the corner of Broadway and the Geo. Bennett Highway is a building with a mural depicting children enjoying recreational activities along a river. A map of the Pleasant View section of Pawtucket also appears on the wall. The mural was created with the support of the City of Pawtucket and the Pleasant View Business Association.
Sperry Street Playground
On Sperry Street, one block from Pawtucket Avenue and across from the Woodlawn Community Center, is a playground with a free-standing wall with murals on both sides. Figures engaged in a variety of athletic activities appears on one side while a landscape filled with animals and a fellow fishing are illustrated on the reverse side.
Park Place Building
Two sides of an empty building at the corner of Park Place West and Bayley Street are painted with ornately decorative patterns and flowers.
